Ejecting and counting mechanism



Sept. 14, 1954 .1. s. BURGE ETAL EJECTING AND COUNTING MECHANISM 1l Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed July 29, 1946 Sept. 14, 1954 .1. s. BURGE ETAL EJECTING AND COUNTING MECHANISM Original Filed July 29, 1946 1l Sheets-Sheet 2 PwceesAl i m Q 3 w 'L Edf( re-O INVENTORS THE-IQ TTOZ/KE'YS Sept. 14, 1954 J. s. BURGE Erm. 2,689,086

EJECTING AND COUNTING MECHANISM Original Filed July 29, 1946 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 /N VEA/Toes JAMES s. BUAZGE FLOYD J. F'OUST W/LLED C'. SHAW H/L TON J. (KEE' WHERE-N A. E /DE 2 Si BY THE/2 7' TOE/VE Y5 1l Sheets-Sheet 4 NNY J. S. BURGE El' AL EJECTING AND COUNTING MECHANISM Sept. 14, 1954 Original Filed July 29, 1946 Sept. 14, 1954 .1. s. BURGE ErAL 2,689,086

EJECTING AND COUNTING MECHANISM Original Filed July 29, 1946 1l Sheets-Sheet 5 au m/ZQ THE/E 47'70e/V YS Sept. 14, 1954 J. S. BURGE ET AL EJECTING AND COUNTING MECHANISM Original Filed July 29, 1946 [Ill 1l Sheets-Sheet 6 W/u ,4R0 t. SHAW Hu. ra/v J. Memse BY Wages/v M. e/pE-e 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 J. S. BURGE ET AL EJECTING AND COUNTING MECHANISM Sept. 14, 1954 Original Filed July 29, 1946 Sept. 14, 1954 J. s. BURGE ET AL 2,689,086

EJECTING AND COUNTING MECHANISM Original Filed July 29, l946\ ll Sheets-Sheet 8 /Nl/ENTOZS THEIQ. HTTO ENE YS SePf- 14 1954 J. s. BURGE ETAL 2,689,086

EJECTING AND coUNTING MECHANISM fa, I /7 403e V l /N VENTOES JMES 5. BUEG FLOYD FOUST W/LLHED C'. SHAW HILTON J. Mf/fEE WARREN M @IDEE THEIB HT'TOENEYS J. s. BURGE ET Al. 2,589,086

EJECTING AND COUNTING MECHANISM sept. 14, 1954 Original Filed July 29, 1946 ll Sheets-Sheet l0 Q 2g n y j I INVENTOR- Sept. 14, 1954 J. s. BURGE ErAL 2,689,086

EJECTING AND COUNTING MECHANISM Original Filed July 29, 1946 11 Sheets-Sheet 1l N .wig A @ME j; RL Il NX THE/E HTTENEYS Patented Sept'. 14, 195.4

EJ ECTIN G AND GOUNTING MECHAN ISM James S. Burge, Floyd J. Foust, Willard C. Shaw, and Warren M. Rider, Anderson, and Hilton J. McKee, Middletown, Ind., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Griginal application July 29, 1946, Serial No. 686,964. Divided and this application May 24, 1950, Serial No. 163,963

This application is a division of application Serial No. 686,964 filed July 29, 1946, now Patent No. 2,596,396 which discloses apparatus comprising a conveyor having work holders which receive an electrical condenser from which there extendsv an insulated wire having a bared end. The conveyor moves intermittently to locate each condenser successively at a station where a terminal clip is attached to the wire, at a station where the bared portion of the wire is attached to the clip and at a station Where the condenser is ejected and is counted as it gravitates upon a chute which directs it into a box.

An object of the invention claimed in this application is to allow only a predetermined number of condensers to pass into a box. Two counters are provided each under control by a device sensing ejection of a condenser, one being selected to start counting ejected condensers when the other has counted to a certain number. When a counter has counted-out, a door moves to block descent of condensers from the chute into a full box so that the machine attendant can replace the full box by an empty box and then move the door to non-blocking position whereupon the condensers accumulated in the chute gravitate to the empty box.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a mechanism diagram of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a view in the direction of arrow 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the table and conveyor.

Fig. 5 is a view of a mechanism in the direction of arrow 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 1--1 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8 8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view on line lU-l of Fig. 9.

Fig. l1 is a sectional view on line II-ll of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on line l2-12 of 5 Claims. (Cl. 2235-438) Fig. 16 is a view in the direction of arrow I6 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view on line |1-l1 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a view in the direction of arrow I8 of Fig.v19.

Fig. 19 is a view in the direction of arrow I9 of Fig. 3. l

Fig. 20 is a wiring diagram of the counter con trol circuit.

Referring to Fig. l, the machine comprises a cabinet A. which supports a conveyor B carrying workholders w each for receiving a condenser CT. As the condensers pass right in Fig. 1 on the conveyor, the terminal wire of the condenser is the conveyor which carries them rst to a clipattaching station CS Where a terminal clip isA attached to the condenser wire. The terminal clips are made by a die .operated by a punch press P. Then the condensers pass to a welding station WS where the clip is welded to the terminal wire by an electric Welder W. At the right end of the cabinet the condensers are ejected by ejector N.

Referring to Fig. 3, the sheet metal exterior of the cabinet A (Fig. l) is supported by a frame comprising two horizontal channel bars 10 supported above the floor by legs 1I and 12 and plates 13, 14, 16 and 11 by a table 15 which supports also the punch press P. As disclosed in detail in application S. N. 686,964, a channel 10 (Figs. 3 and 4) supports members which support the workholders w. The workholders w are attached to links of a conveyor chain which as shown in Fig. 4, passes around a drive sprocket 96, a slack take-up sprocket 85a, upper idle sprockets 81, lower idle sprockets 88 and an end idle sprocket 89, all of these sprockets being supported by a channel bar 10. Referring to Fig. 9, sprocket 86 is supported by a shaft 90 journaled in bearings supported by the channels 10. To the shaft 90 there is attached a bevel gear 9| meshing with a bevel gear 92 connected with a shaft 93 supported by a bracket 94 attached to a bar 1G. Shaft 93 is connected with a sprocket 95 connected by a chain 9B with a sprocket 91 attached to a shaft H1. Chain 96 passes around an idle sprocket 99 supported by a bracket lill)l supported by plate 16.

An electric motor (not shown) is operatively connected in any suitable manner with a shaft |I (Fig. 8) connected with a shaft |0Ia journaled in a bearing |0|b supported by plate 14 (Fig. 8) and connected with a `sprocket |02 (also Fig. 5). A chain |03 passes around sprocket |02 and sprockets |04 and |05 and is engaged by an idle sprocket |06 pivotally supported at |01 by a lever |08 pivoted at |09 having a slot IIO through which passes a clamp screw I I threaded into the plate 14. Lever |08 is adjusted to take up the slack in chain |03 and it is held in adjusted position by tightening the screw I I I which passes through a clamp washer ||2.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 8, sprocket |04 is attached to the hub of a clutch driving member II 5 of a one-third revolution clutch J having a driven member ||6 keyed to the shaft II1, journaled in bearings |88 supported by a bushing I I9 attached to plate 14. Shaft ||1 carries the conveyor drive sprocket 91 (Fig. 9). Shaft II1 is journaled in a bearing |20 carried by a bracket |2| supported by plate 14. The hub of the clutch driving member I I5 is fitted with bearings |22 which are journaled on the shaft I I1.

Referring to Fig. 5, clutch driving member I I5 is connected with clutch driven member1 II6 by lever |25 pivoted at |26 on member |I6 and having a tooth |21 for engaging a notch |28 of the driving member ||5. When the lever |25 is released for counterclockwise motion about its pivot |26, a spring |29, connecting lever |25 with member I I6, causes the lever to connect the clutch members. Lever |25 is prevented from engaging its tooth |21 with a notch |28 by a lever |30 pivoted at |3| upon the plate 14 and urged counterclockwise by a spring |32 which surrounds a rod |33 and which is confined between the eye head |34 of the rod and a block |35 having a screw |36 pivoted on lever |30 and retained by a nut |31. 'Ihe head |34 is pivoted at |38 on a lever |39 pivoted also on |3I. Lever |39 has a notch |40 for receiving a latch pawl |4I attached to a shaft |42 which retains the lever |39 in the position shown against the action of a spring |43 connecting said lever with the plate 14. The right end of rod |33 is threaded to receive a nut |44 which, as shown in Fig. 5, is spaced slightly from the right side of the block |35. Nut |44 is locked in adjusted position by a lock nut |45. Le- Ver |30 has a hook |46 for engaging a notch |41 in member IIB. Member ||6 supports a pivoted roller |48. To trip the clutch, the latch I4| is retracted by clockwise rotation of shaft |42 and the spring |43 pulls the lever |39 clockwise. Rod |33 moves left carrying with it the nut |44 which pulls on the block |35 and causes the lever I 30 to move clockwise to pull the hook |46 out of the notch |41 and thereby allowing the lever |25 to move counterclockwise by the action of spring |29. The clutch members ||5 and ||6 are then connected and I|6 will rotate counterclockwise. .If there were but one set of parts number |30 through |46, the member I|6 would turn one revolution. Toward the end of this movement the roller |48 engages the lever |39 to move it counterclockwise against the action of spring |43 and to cause, through the action of the spring |32, the lever |30 to be forced counterclockwise against the periphery of member I I6. Before the end of the one-revolution the pawl I4I is permitted to return by spring to be described to a latching position wherein the lever |39 will be latched as shown in Fig. 5, after the roller |46 passes to the right of it. Therefore, at the end of one revolution, the lever hook |46 will snap into the notch |41 to retain the plate ||6 coi1f cidentally with the retraction of the lever tooth |21 from a notch |28 of driving member |I5. In order to obtain a partial revolution of the clutch before it is automatically thrown out, for example, one-third revolution, three sets of members, numbered |30 through |46, are provided and the parts of these sets are similar to those described marked with the same reference numerals. The numerals applying to one set have a prime afkxed and the numerals applying to the other set have a double prime affixed. It will be seen that the locking levers I 30, |30' and |30" are spaced equi-angularly about the driving member II5. If lever |39 is the first to be tripped, the clutch will rotate counterclockwise one-third revolution and roller |48 will pass under lever |39 to lift it so that it can be retained by lever |39' and will be caught by the latch I4I and the clutch member I I6 will be stopped by the engagement with its notch |41 by the hook |46. of lever |30. For the next one-third revolution, the latch |4I' is retracted so as to allow the clutch members to be connected for another one-third revolution during which the roller |48 will engage the lever |38" which will result in the engagement by the member ||6 with the hook |46" of lever |30".

The three latches I4I, |4|l and |4Il are connected by shafts |42, |42 and |42", respectively, which, as shown in Fig. 6, are attached to levers |5I, I5I and ISI connected by links |52, |52' and |52 with a plate |53 which, as shown in Fig. 8 is journaled on roller bearings |54 supported by the bushing ||9. Plate |53 is urged by a spring |55 counterclockwise so that the shafts |42, |42 and |42 are urged clockwise in Fig. 6 or counterclockwise in Fig. 5 so as to urge the latching pawls into latching position. Plate |53 is rocked clockwise by a cam |56 engageable with a roller |51 carried by a lever |58 pivoted at |59 and connected with plate |53 by a link |60. Cam |53 is driven by a cam shaft |6| which, as shown in Fig. 7, is journaled in a bearing |62 sup ported by plate 14 and a, bearing |63 supported by a bracket |64 attached to plate 14. Sprocket |05 which is journaled loosely on the shaft I6I, is connected therewith through a onerevolution clutch K of the same construction as the clutch J except that there is only one set of parts like those numbered I 30 through |46. The parts of clutch K which are like those of clutch J are indicated by the same numerals but with a triple prime afiixed. The latch pawl |4I attached to shaft |42 is controlled by a pedal |65 (Fig. 12) pivoted at |66 connected by a link |61 with a lever |66 pivoted at |69 connected by a link |10 with a lever |1| attached to a shaft |12 connected with a lever |13 connected by a link |14 (Fig. 11) with a lever |15 pivoted at |16 and connected by a link |11 with a lever |18 (see also Fig. 6), connected with shaft |42. Therefore, by depressing the pedal |65, the clutch K will be continuously tripped and cam shaft |6| will continuously rotate. Each time shaft |6I makes one revolution, clutch J is tripped but it automatically throws out at the end of one-third revolution so that the conveyor will be driven intermittently while the cam shaft rotates continuously unti pedal |65 is released.

Figs. 12 and 13 show a bar 480 mounted on the upper end of a shaft 48| which is supported in a bearing 482 attached to a cover plate 483 and in a bearing 404 provided by a plate 485. The bar 480 is held in a normal position by a spring 486 attached to the cover 483 and to a lever 481 attached to the shaft 48|. Spring 486 urges lever 481 against a lever 488 on shaft |12. When pedal |65 is depressed lever 488 on shaft |12 moves down (Fig. 14) and allows lever 481 on shaft 48| to move left (Fig. 14) or up (Fig. l5), by the action of spring 488 until the lever 481 strikes shoulder 48811 of lever 488. rlihis causes the pedal |65 to be held in depressed position so that the machine will operate until the operator at the left end of the machine moves the stopping lever 480 attached to shaft 48|.

Fig. 9, which is a sectional view on line 8-9 of Fig. 2 shows ejector N for ejecting the completed condensers from the conveyor Workholder. Posts |88 supported by channels 10 support rails |8| for a slide |82 having a condenser can pusher |83. Bar I 82 is operated by a lever |85 urged clockwise (Fig. 9) by spring |86 and attached to a shaft |81 journaled on brackets |88 (Fig. 11) and carrying a lever |89 connected by link |90 with a lever |9| attached to a shaft |92 journaled in a bracket |93 (Figs. 10 and 11). Lever carries a roller |85 for engaging a cam |98 driven by shaft I6 I.

Figs. 16 and 17 show a cabinet which encloses solenoids SOLI and 2 having armatures 588 and 50| respectively urged up by springs not shown. Solenoid armature 50| is connected by a link 502 with a lever 554 carried by a shaft 506 rotatably supported by brackets 520 and 52|. Shaft 508 is connected with an arm 508 connected by a link 5I 0 with an arm 5|2 on the shaft 5|4 of a counter COI. Armature 580 is connected by link 503 with a lever 585 attached to a shaft 501 journaled in brackets 520 and 52| and connected with a lever 589 connected with a lever 5|| with an arm 5|3 connected with a shaft 5|5 of a counter CO2. In a manner to be described, one or the other of these solenoids is operated by electriceye apparatus to cause a counter to count the good condensers as they are ejected by ejector N.

Figs. 18 and 19 show the device into which the completed condensers are discharged by the ejector N. The completed condensers are discharged into a hood 538 and descend on a chute 53| into a receptacle. Discharge of condensers from the chute 53| can be blocked by a door 532 pivotally supported at 533 by the sides of the chute. Door 532 has a handle 535 for lifting it and when it is lifted into the position shown, it is held there by virtue of engagement ,of a pin 538 of the door with a latch lever 531 pivoted at 548 on a side of the chute and connected by a link 54| with the armature 542 of a solenoid SOLS located in a case 543. When the solenoid SOL5 is energized, the latch 531 will be rotated counterclockwise to release the door so that it will drop into chute closing position. The door 432 carries an arm 545 when operating the plunger 548 of a switch SW28 which turns on a light to indicate that the door is up. Solenoid SOL5 is energized whenever a counter COI or CO2 has counted a certain number of condensers to be 'discharged into a box below the chute 53| Then the door 532 descends to block exit of condenser until an attendant can replace a full box by an empty one. When this has been done, the attendant lifts the door to permit the accumulated condensers to descend to the box and also additional condensers until the total equals the certain number for which the counter (COI or CO2) is set.

Fig. 20, a diagram of the counter control, shows counter COI operated by. solenoid SOLI counter CO2 operated by SOLZ, and counter CO5 operated by solenoid SOLS. Counters COI and CO2 operate alternately, each counting up to 1200, for example, to ll a box, while the other` is idle. Counter CO5 counts each time counter COI or CO2 counts and thus indicates a total of all good condensers. Each good condenser is caused to be counted when, on being ejected by ejector N, it intercepts light rays from a lamp 8I0 normally shining on a photo-electric cell 8|I and thereby causing a thyratron tube 8I2 to become conducting and to pass current to the coil 8|4 of a relay 8 I 5 which closes its contacts 8 I 6, 8 I 1 thereby connecting line I8 (23|) v. D. C.) with coil 8|3 of a holding rrelay 820 and coil 8|9 with ground through normally closed switch SWB. Relay 828 closes its contacts 82|, 822 to by-pass contacts SI5, 8|1 of relay 8|5 and coil 8|9 of relay 828 remains connected between line I0 and ground until switch SW8 is opened by cam 288 which operates to restore the circuit to normal status after each count.

V/'hen relay 820 is energized, its contact 823 leaves 824 and engages 825 which then connects line 2 with contact 830 then engaging 83| which is connected with solenoid SOLI connected with line I. Counter COI adds one. Counter CO5 also adds one since its operating solenoid SOLS, connected with line I, is connected by line 2a and contacts 823, 825 of relay 820 with line 2. At the end of each operating cycle, cam 288 0perated by cam shaft IGI (Fig. 20) opens switch SWB and the relay 828 is deenergized and the solenoids SOLI and SOL8 are deenergized. Counter COI continues to add one each time a condenser is ejected by ejector N until COI has counted up a certain number, 1200 for example. Then its switch 84| automatically closes and line 2 is connected by contacts 823, 824 of relay 828, switch 84| with solenoid SOL3 connected with line I. SOLS pulls armature 834 right to cause contact v838 to leave contact 83| and to engage Contact 332, and contact 835 to leave contact 838 and to engage contact 831 to reverse the contacts so that counter COI will cease counting and counter CO2 will begin to count. Counter CO5 continues to count while counter CO2 counts. SOL3 and SOL4 act oppositely on armature 834,

energizing of SOLS causing armature 834 to move to the right and energizing SIOL4, causing armature 834 to move to the left. The armature 834 remains in its right or left position until vactuated oppositely by SOL3 o-r SOL4. Each time either of these solenoids is energized signal lights 85| and 852 burn respectively, whereupon an operator resets the particular counter involved and simultaneously deenergizes the particular solenoid through manual operation of levers 86| or 882 as explained hereinafter.

The closing of switch 84| causes lamp 85| to burn to indicate that COI has counted to 1200. The shifting of contact 835 to 831 causes line 2 to be connected with solenoidl 845 which then closes its contacts 848, 141 to cause a lamp 848 (at the loading station) to light and solenoid SOLS to be energized so that the door 532 (Fig. 18) drops to block descent of condensers into the already filled box. Lamp 848 informs the loading attendant to stop the machine if the box-changreasonable time.

ing attendants do not replace boxes within a The chutecan retain 200 condensers, for example, before the full box must be replaced by an empty one. Also transformer 858 is energized to cause a bell 849 (near ejector N) to ring to tell the box-loading attendant that a box is filled and should be replaced by an empty box. He then resets counter COI by turning a counter-reversing crank 86| and switch 84| opens and solenoids SOL3 and 845 and SOL5 are deenergized and then lifts the door 532 so that the condensers counted by CO2 can descend into the empty box. The latch 531 holds the door up, and a lamp at the loading station energized by closing switch SWZO (Fig. 18) burns to indicate that the attendant at the ejector N has discharged his duties.

When counter CO2 counts to 1200 for example, its switch 842 closes to cause solenoid SOL4 to be energized so that armature 834 moves left to reverse the connections so that counter COI (previously reset) will start counting. Lamp 852 burns to indicate that CO2 has stopped counting and solenoids 845 and SOL5 are energized. The door 532` drops and lamp 848 burns and bell 849 rings as before. Counter CO2 is reset to zero by turning its resetting crank 862 and switch 842 opens and solenoids SOL4, 845 and SOLS are deenergized. Lamp 848 stops burning, bell 849 stops ringing. The attendant replaces the full box with an empty one and lifts the door 532 as before and a lamp burns at the loading station to indicate that the attendant has discharged his duty as before.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. In apparatus for controlling the discharge of a predetermined number of parts into a container from a machine which performs operations upon the parts, the combination comprising a continuously operating ejector, a normally open chute upon which an ejected part gravitates from the ejector to a container located adjacent the lower end of the chute, movement of a part down the chute to the container being normally completed before a succeeding part arrives at the lower end of the chute, a movable, normally closed door at the lower end of the chute to block descent of a part into the container, said door being movable to non-blocking position, a latch for retaining the door in nonblocking position, means for sensing the ejection of a part, a first counting means under control of the sensing means, means controlled by said first counting means when the latter has counted to a certain number of parts passing down said chute into said container for retracting the latch to permit the door to move into blocking position and for causing a second counting means to begin counting the ejected parts, a third counting means operating continuously for counting the total number of parts performed upon and means for manually moving said door to non-blocking position.

2. In apparatus for controlling the discharge of a predetermined number of parts into a container from a machine which performs operations upon the parts, the combination comprising a. continuously operating ejector, a normally open chute upon which an ejected part gravitates from the ejector to a container located adjacent the lower end of the chute, movement of a part down the chute to the container being normally completed before a succeeding part arrives at the lower end of the chute, a door supported for gravitation to the lower end of the chute to block descent of a part into the container, said door being manually lifted to non-blocking position, a latch for retaining the door in non-blocking position, means for sensing the ejection of a part to the chute, counting means comprising two counters each of which is capable of control by the sensing means, counter selecting means for placing one counter under control by the sensing means and for interrupting control of the other counter by the sensing means and vice versa, a device actuated by each counter when it counts out, meaning to a predetermined number, means under control by the device of the counter which has counted out for causing the counter selecting means to interrupt control by the sensing means of the counter which has counted out and to place the other counter under control by the sensing means, means under control by the device of the counter which has counted out for retracting the latch to permit the door to gravitate into blocking position to prevent descent of parts into a container which has received a predetermined number of parts, the parts accumulating upon the chute inside the door being counted by the other counter while the machine attendant substitutes an empty container for the container of parts previously counted by the other counter, and means manually operated after substituting an empty container for resetting the counter which has counted out and thereby rendering its device ineffective to maintain operation of the latch retractor whereby the door, when lifted, will be retained by the latch.

3. In apparatus for controlling the discharge of a predetermined counter number of parts into a container from a machine which performs operations upon the parts, the combination comprising a continuously operating ejector, a normally open chute upon which an ejected part gravitates from the ejector to a container located adjacent the lower end of the chute, movement of a part down the chute to the container being normally completed before a succeeding part arrives at the lower end of the chute, a door supported for gravitation to the lower end of the chute to block descent of a part into the container, said door being manually lifted to non-blocking position, a latch for retaining the door in non-blocking position, a solenoid for retracting the latch to permit the door to gravitate into blocking position, a relay having a coil and normally closed contacts and normally opened contacts, a current source, means for sensing the ejection of a part to the chute, means under control by the sensing means for completing a circuit between the source and the relay coil, whereby the normally closed contacts are opened and the normally open contacts are closed, a circuit breaker opened after each rejection operation to disconnect the coil from the source whereby said relay contacts return to normal status, counting means comprising first and second counters each having a switch which is opened by manually resetting the counter and which remains open until the counter reaches said predetermined count, means for controlling the energization of the latch retracting solenoid and rendered effective by closure of either counter switch, rst and second counter operating solenoids which cause counting when they are energized, means for selecting either the first or the second counter operating solenoid by partly completing a circuit between the current source and the selected solenoid, said circuit being completed by closure of the normally open contacts of the relay, means for operating the counter solenoid selecting means and including first and second selecting solenoids which, when energized, respectively condition the selecting means for selection of the rst and second counter solenoids, a circuit established between the current source and the iirst selecting solenoid and including the closed switch of the second counter, when counted out, and the normally closed contacts of the relay, and a circuit established between the current source and the second selecting solenoid and including the closed switch of the first counter, when counted out, and the normally closed contacts of the relay.

4. In apparatus for controlling the discharge of a predetermined number of parts into a container from a machine which performs operations upon the parts, the combination comprising a lcontinuously operating ejector, a normally open chute upon which an ejected part gravitates from the ejector to a container located adjacent the lower end of the chute, movement of a part down the chute to the container being normally completed before a succeeding part arrives at the lower end of the chute, a door support for gravitation to the lower end of the chute to block descent of a part into the container, said door being manually lifted to non-blocking position, a latch for retaining the door in a non-blocking position, means for sensing the ejection of a part to the chute, a rst relay having normally open contacts and controlled by the sensing means for momentarily closing said contacts, a current source, a second relay having a coil, a circuit for connecting the second relay coil with the source and including the contacts of the rst relay and a normally closed switch periodically opened once for each ejector operation, a switch closed by energization of the second relay coil for by-passing the contacts of the first relay, a second switch of the second relay closed by energization of the second relay coil and opened when said coil is deenergized, a third switch of the second relay opened by energization of the second relay coil and closed when said coil is deenergized, counting means comprising two counters, first and second, each having a switch which is opened by manually resetting the counter and which remains open until the counter counts out, first and second solenoids respectively for operating the first and second counters, counter solenoid selecting means having rst set of contacts which are closed when the selecting means is conditioned for selecting the rst counter solenoid and having a second set of contacts which are closed when the selecting means is conditioned for selecting the second counter solenoid, first and second selector operating solenoids respectively for conditioning the selecting means for rst and second counter solenoid selection, a circuit established between the current source and the rst selector operating solenoid by closure of the switch of the second counter and by the third switch of the second relay whereby the rst set of contacts of the selecting means are closed, a circuit for connecting the rst counter solenoid with the current source and including the iirst set of contacts of the selecting means and the second contacts of the second relay when closed, a circuit established between the current source and the second selector operating solenoid by closure of the switch oi the first counter and by the third switch of the second relay whereby the second set of contacts of the selecting means are closed, a circuit for connecting the second counter solenoid with the current source and including the second set of contacts of the selecting means and the second contacts of the second relay when closed, a third relay switch having a coil and normally open contacts, a circuit for connecting the third relay coil with the current source and including the second set or contacts of the selecting means, the switch ofthe second counter when counted out and the third contacts of the second relay, another circuit for connecting the third relay coil with the current source and including the second set of contacts of the selecting means, the switch of the rst counter when counted out and the third contacts of the second relay, a solenoid for effecting, when energized retraction of the latch whereby the door gravitates into blocking position to give the machine attendant opportunity to substitute an empty container for the container of a predetermined number of parts, and means for connecting the latch retracting solenoid with the current source and including contacts of the third relay and the third switch of the second relay.

5. In an apparatus for controlling the discharge of predetermined numbers of parts from a machine which performs operations thereon, the combination comprising; an ejector normally associated with the machine for intermittently ejecting parts therefrom, a normally open inclined chute upon which said ejected parts fall and gravitate therealong away from said machine, movable normally closed blocking means in said chute capable of preventing gravitational descent of said parts therealong, a latch associated with said blocking means for retaining same in nonblocking position, sensing means for sensing ejection of parts onto said chute, three counting means under control of the sensing means, the iirst and second counting means acting alternately to count up to a predetermined number of parts, the third counting means being superimposed upon both said rst and second counting means and counting continuously the total number of parts ejected, said iirst and second counting means each being operative to unlatch said latch when said counting means reaches a predetermined number for permitting said blocking means to block the chute and means for reinstating the blocking means in latched condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,435,353 Wanders Nov. 14, 1922 2,059,398 Roemer Nov. 3, 1936 2,122,710 Bidwell et al July 5, 1938 2,144,708 Rau Jan. 24, 1939 2,256,327 Parkes et al Sept. 16, 1941 2,400,489 Dana et al May 2l, 1946 2,470,926 Gieseke May 24, 1949 2,497,149 Berdis et al Feb. 14, 1950 

